This may sound simple to most, but I am really wanting to know how to use my flash (on manual) down to a science. I am sick of putting it on tv and getting blown out shots where I can't even see the persons features.

I had to laugh when I read your post. I worked for years before TTL or ETTL and got great results. I used to take my film to the lab and they'd comment about how easy it was to print my work because I exposed it right on the money every time.

So what manual control, if any, do you have on your flash ?

Most have a 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and so on.

My first manual flash was a Norman 200B which had 50ws, 100ws and 200ws. I tested the output with my Minolta flash meter for each power setting at ISO 100. Tests were done at night, outside, away from any reflective surfaces. I shot a grey card held next to my head at the meter reading. Then I ran the film and checked it on a densitometer. I also had the skin tone to help. If I was shooting chrome then I'd include a Macbeth color checker and test each batch of film.

I memorized what distance gave me what F/stop at each of the three power settings. I then tested all the Hasselblad lenses I used and again checked all the film on a densitometer. After coming up with all the values it was relatively easy.

If I was shooting flash only and not integrating any ambient light then it was straight forward. I just had to consider anything that might influence the light, walls, ceilings, and windows. Focus for my subject, look at the distance on the lens, shoot at that stop. Or move the subject, or me, to the distance I needed for the stop I wanted.

If I was shooting flash fill during the day then I'd always try to expose 1/2 stop under the ambient if I didn't want it to look filled.

There are lots of permutations on how to work with manual flash. If you're shooting around water and using a polarizer then that's part of the equation.

I had to laugh when I read your post. I worked for years before TTL or ETTL and got great results. I used to take my film to the lab and they'd comment about how easy it was to print my work because I exposed it right on the money every time.

So what manual control, if any, do you have on your flash ?

Most have a 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and so on.

My first manual flash was a Norman 200B which had 50ws, 100ws and 200ws. I tested the output with my Minolta flash meter for each power setting at ISO 100. Tests were done at night, outside, away from any reflective surfaces. I shot a grey card held next to my head at the meter reading. Then I ran the film and checked it on a densitometer. I also had the skin tone to help. If I was shooting chrome then I'd include a Macbeth color checker and test each batch of film.

I memorized what distance gave me what F/stop at each of the three power settings. I then tested all the Hasselblad lenses I used and again checked all the film on a densitometer. After coming up with all the values it was relatively easy.

If I was shooting flash only and not integrating any ambient light then it was straight forward. I just had to consider anything that might influence the light, walls, ceilings, and windows. Focus for my subject, look at the distance on the lens, shoot at that stop. Or move the subject, or me, to the distance I needed for the stop I wanted.

If I was shooting flash fill during the day then I'd always try to expose 1/2 stop under the ambient if I didn't want it to look filled.

There are lots of permutations on how to work with manual flash. If you're shooting around water and using a polarizer then that's part of the equation.

What you shooting and with what ?

Thanks for the reply. I have a Canon 580 and a Quantum. This isn't surf photos, but for example I photographed my daughters birthday the other day with my Canon 7d and used the pop up flash for fill. Shot it at iso 200 and mostly tv 250. Being a "professional" photographer I was really bummed on how some of the shots turned out.

You seem to know a lot about flash and I know math has a lot to do with it, and I can tell you right now I am terrible at math. I never even reached algebra in my high school.